Metal-bending machine



J. F. CRAWFORD.

METAL BENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.-2o, I919.

PzitentedSept. 21,1920

7SHEETS-SHEET 1.

.I. F. CRAWFORD.

METAL BENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20. 1919.

Patented Sept. 21, 1920.

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METAL BENDING MACHINE.

' APPLICATION FILE'D FEB. 20. 1919.

1,353,635. I Patentedsept. 21, 1920.

7SHEETS-SHEET 3.

w i m HHI T Wm H 1' n H y [$5 2 3 2 Ivflarzlir I. F. CRAWFORD.

METAL BENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20. I919.

57 PatentedSept. 21,1920

I I I l l I I I I I I l I -I- I I I I I I I I I I I I l I I I I I L r I I I I I I I I I l I I I I I I I I l I I J F1116 rdo z J. F. CRAWFORD. METAL BENDING MACHI'NE.

'APPLICATION FILEYD FEB. 20. 1919.

7SHEETSSHEET 5- Patented Sept. 21, 1920*.

J. F. CRAWFORD. METAL BENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20, I9I9.

Patented Sept. 21, 1920.,

lSHEETS-SHEET 6- J; F. CRAWFORD.

METAL BENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20, 1919.

1,353,635, Patented Sept. 21, 1920..

7SHEETSSHEET 7- creme.

JOHN F. CRAVIFORD, OF RACINE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO J. I. CASE THRESI-IING MACHINE COMPANY, OF RACINE, WISCONSIN, CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

METAL-BENDING MACHINE.

T 0 all to from it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN F. CRAWFORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Racine, in the county of Racine and State of IVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metal-Bending Machines, of which the following is a specification.

readily insert therein a straight angle-ironbar and-quickly shape the same into true ring form while retaining the webs of the material in their original right angle relation, or may produce the ring with one of its webs either at an obtuseor acute angle in relation to the'other, all as will be hereinafter more particularly pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved angle iron bending ma chine; Fig. 2 a plan view of the same: Fig. 3 a sectional view taken on the dotted line 33 in Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; Fig. 4: a detail sectional view looking in the direction indicated by the arrows 1 A in Fig. 2; Fig. 5 a sectional view looking in the direction indicated by the arrows 5-5 in Fig. 1; Fig. 6 a plan partially in section taken on the dotted line 6-6 in Fig. 1; Fig. 7 a fragmentary plan similar to Fig. 6, but showing some of the parts in changed position; Fig. 8 a plan and Fig. 9 a side elevation, respec tively, of the clamp for holding the angleiron to the disk forming-part of my machine; Fig. 10 a diagrammatic view show- I ing two of said clamps holding the angleiron to the disk, the rolls for guiding said material being shown in dotted lines; Fig. 11 a plan of the formed ring as it is delivered from the machine; and Fig. 12 is a side view of the ring instantly it leaves the machine but which by its inherent spring force assumes its true position as indicated in Fig. 11. r

In said drawings the frame, 1, may be any suitable structure for the purpose, that shown comprising a base, 2, with pillars or legs, 3, secured thereto and upon which are Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Sept. 21, 1920.

Application filed February 20, 1919. Serial No. 278,270.

mounted a table or platform, 4. Mounted upon said frame is a driving shaft, 5, provided at one end with a pulley, 6, driven by a belt, 7, the rotation of said pulley being controlled by a clutch mechanism, 8, through rod, 9, with hand lever, 10, for starting and stopping the machine. Mounted upon the opposite end of said shaft 5, is a beveled gear, 11, which meshes with a similar gear, 12, on shaft, 13, by which the latter is driven through the rotation of shaft 5, said gears being referably inclosed within a housing, 12. haft 13 carries a worm, 1 1, which meshes with a worm-wheel, 15, inclosed in casing, 15, said wheel being secured to a vertical shaft, 16, which at its lower end is mounted in thrust bearings, 17, and by which worm-wheel said shaft is actuated to rotate a disk, 18, secured at the upper side thereof by a collar, 19, to which which disk is driven in the direction indi-- cated by the arrow in Fig.6. I am thus enabled 'to readily remove and replace disk 18, which, it will be understood, varies in diameter according to the size of the. ring to be rolled, and which disk is slightly less in diameter than such ring to be formed, for the reason that the angle-iron springs open slightlywhen being released from said disk.

In a chamber, 22, formed by a longitudinal trough-shaped wall, 23, which comprises a guide-way, 24:, I m'ounta roller-head, 25, having legs, 25, adapted to be supported by and to travel along said guide-way, said head carrying rollers, 26, 27, 28, which head may be shifted in relation to disk 18 to provide proper space between said rolls and disk to accommodate angle-iron bars varying in thickness. The upper roll 26 is keyed at 29, to a spindle, 80, which rotates in tubular member, 31, of said roller-head, said member being pivotally mounted in the head, at 32. A hand wheel, 34, is provided to operate a screw, 35, for adjusting said roll 26 in relation to the topflange or web of the angle-iron bar, 36, to be developed into ring formation, by which means, as heretofore indicated, roller 26 may be raised and lowered the desired extent to come into contact with said angle-iron. The lower tubular member, 38, of said roller-head 25 comprises a casting similar to upper member 31, in which is carried a spindle, 39,

rolls 26 and 27 arranged and operating in the manner described, I provide a horizontally arranged roller, 28, in proximity to said rollers 26 and 27 and the periphery of which is in substantial registry with the inner faces of said two rollers. This roller 28 is provided with studs, 40, 41, at its upper and lower faces, respectively, and which are seated in recesses in the members 31 and 38,

which recesses serve as bearings therefor, as

indicated in Fig. 4. It will be understood that said rollers 26, 27, 28 are in effect idlers upon the different bearings upon which they are mounted, but when disk 18 is rotated, and as angle-bar 36 is inserted between it and said rollers, the rotary action of said disk carries said bar betweensaid rollers and because of the frictional engagement between. all of said parts said rollers rotate and assist said disk in feeding and carrying said angleiron around with the said disk in the direction of its travel, thus having the effect of binding and shaping said angleiron against the disk and forming the same curvilinearly to conform to the circular contour of said disk 18. As a simple means for adjusting the roller-head 25 in entirety'in relation to disk 18, I provide a link, 45, pivoted, at 46, in the head, 25, and at 47 to a hand-lever, 48 (Fig. 4), said hand-lever being pivoted to a lever-plate, 50, by a stud, 51, driven into and connecting both, said lever-plate being mounted and resting in guide-way 24. Interposed between said hand-lever 48 and lever-plate 50 is a clamping-plate, 52, which is carried with said structure and wedges the lever-plate into the guide-wayby the bolts, 53. By reference to Fig. 4 it will thus be seen that the manipulation of the hand-lever 48 serves to adjust the roller-head longitudinally along said guidesway, which adjustment is of limited movement, and in order to prevent extreme play of the link 45 a set screw, 54,

is mounted in member 31 which may be ad-- justed to control the lateral movement of said link.

As a positive means for correctly feeding angle-iron bars into my improved machine to be formed into rings, I prefer to employ an air cylinder, 58, which actuates a plunger, 59, having a rack, 60, near its end which meshes with a segment, 61, pivoted at '62. to a casting orsegment support, 63, which segment also carries an arm, 64, supporting at its upper end a roller guide 65, and beneath said guide is provided with a stud, 65, upon which is mounted an angle-bar guide, 66, the front end of which latter guide rests above disk 18. A hand lever, 67. pivoted to segment support 63 is connected by a rod, 68, to a valve (not shown) in the air pump 58 and by which said air pump is set in operation to actuate plunger, 59, the longitudinal movement of said plunger being limited by an adjustable set-screw, 69, or

otherwise, by which its stroke is regulated.

When forming a ring from anangle-iron bar as 36, the same is inserted between guide 66 and roller 65' (Fig. 5), and the former is slightly raised by manipulating lever 67 to cause plunger 59 to actuate segment 61 and raise said guide 66 and roller 65. The end of said bar 36 is projected between the rollers 26, 27,28, (Fig. 7), assuming a horizontal position therebetwecn, and by the rotation of disk 18 is drawn under a pivoted clamping wedge, 70, (Fig. 6), which is adapted to be inserted in any one of several apertures, 71, in said disk, and which clampingwedge is provided with a rouglr ened or gripping face 72, and a post, 73, for insertion into said disk. In the upper member'81 a manually adjustable dog, 74, is pivotally mounted as'at 75, and by a handle, 76, is caused to engage the hooked end of clamping wedge 70, and as the end of anglebar 36 is inserted under the clamps the gripping face thereof is thrown against the bar by operating dog 74, and said bar is thus seized and clamped by said wedge, the rotary' motion ofdisk 18 drawing said bar about its periphery and by the contact of said wedge with dog 74 wedges or clamps said bar. Simultaneously with said movement the wedge 70 gradually turns said dog 74 on its pivot until it becomes release-Cl therefrom and passes from within its influence, and remains in the position shown in Figs. 6 and 10, and constantly maintains the bar in position about the periphery of said disk. As disk 18 continues to rotate, in order to insure uniform retention to said disk of the bar undergoing ring formation I may insert additional clamping wedges aboutthe disk, as for instance as indicated in Fig. 10, so that when the bar has been completely fed between the rolls and thus held in fixed position about the disk a substantially perfect ring, 80, will be produced from such straight bar and the ends of which will approximately meet as indicated in Fig. 11.

In practice-it is found desirable for some purposes to form rings of this character with the vertical web or flange arranged at an obtuse or acute angle in relation to the upper or horizontal web. When bar 36 is inserted in guide 66, and the latter is in normal position as indicated in Fig. 3, upon being grasped between disk 18 and rolls 26,

V 28, the vertical web thereof is drawn into a 7 thereby,

web the latter is brought from such acute to a true angle as the bar passes through the disk and rolls, so that either formation may be readily obtained. However, if asliglitly.

obtuse angle is desired this is obtained by raising the guide 66 higher, as indicated in Fig. 5, which permits a greater stretching of the web, and even though said disk and rolls impart a constant grip to said vertical web the tension in the metal will spring it back to the shape required, as I have demonstrated in the practical operation of my improved bending machine. The degree of angularity may be determined by the requisite regulation of said feeder in the operation of the machine, but it will be understood that because of the formation or said disk and rolls such angular relation of the vertical web is limited, and to permit of a greater range such elements should be beveled to a certain extent.

In the manner illustrated and described I provide a substantially simple arranged machine for rapidly forming rings from angle-iron bar material comprising a system of adjustable rotary elements and clamping devices by which unskilled assistants may readily produce such rings with a mini mum of effort and attention, and which elements may be quickly adjusted to accommodate angle-iron material of varying sizes in thickness and width of webs.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a machine for forming angle-iron rings, the combination of a frame, a rotary disk mounted thereon, a roll upon. which said disk travels and is frictionally driven a vertically adjustable roll above said disk, a horizontally positioned roll intermediate said rolls, said adjustable and intermediate rolls being adapted to retain angle-iron material between them and said disk, and means for rotating said disk to propel said material and rotate said adjustable and intermediate rolls through frictional engagement with said material.

2. In a machine for forming angle-iron rings, the combination, with a frame, of a rotary disk, means for rotating the same, a vertically adjustable roll mounted above said disk for gripping an angle-iron web against the same, means for adjusting said roll, a roll beneath said disk for supporting the same, and a horizontally positioned roll intermediate said rolls and adjacent the periphery of said disk for gripping an angleiron web thereagainst.

3. In a machine for forming angle-iron rings, a roller-head comprising an upper cylindrical member, a spindle therein, a roll mounted at one end of said spindle, means for raising and lowering said cylindricalmember to adjust said roll, a cylindrical member beneath said adjustable member, a spindle therein, a roll at the end of said spindle, a bearing in said lower cylindrical member, and a horizontally positioned roll mounted therein.

4. In a machine for forming angle-iron rings, a roller-head comprising an upper cylindrical member, a roll mounted therein, a lower cylindrical member, a roll in said lower member, a horizontally positioned roll intermediate said rolls and a guideway upon which said head is mounted and by which said rolls may be adjusted.

5. In a machine forforming angle-iron rings, a roller-head comprising members carrying upper and lower rolls and an intermediate horizontally positioned roll, a guide-way over which said head is mounted, means connected to said roller-head and slidably supported in said guide-way, and means for actuating said roller-head to be adjusted along said guide-way upon its supporting means.

6. In a 'machine for forming angle-iron rings, a rotatable disk, a removable clamping wedge having vertically arranged pivotal means insertible in said disk, a substantially horizontally arranged member extending therefrom, and a vertically arranged clamping face spaced from said pivotal means and adapted to extend downwardly over the periphery of said disk for wedging material against said disk.

7. In a machine -for forming angle-iron rings, a rotatable disk, a roller-head comprising a plurality of rolls cooperating with said disk for binding angle-iron thereto, an adjustable clamp mounted in said disk for clamping material thereto, against the periphery thereof, and apivotally mounted dogarranged to engage said clamp toadjust the same in clamping position. 105

8. In a machine for forming angle-iron rings, a frame, a tubular member mounted in said frame, a spindle therein, a roll at one end of said spindle, a tubular member below said first member, a spindle therein having a roll mounted upon itsend, a rotatable disk cooperating with said rolls, and means'for adjusting said members, spindles and rolls longitudinally of said frame.

9. In a machine for forming angle-iron 115 rings, a frame, a rotatable disk mounted therein, a roll beneath said disk for supporting the same, a vertically arranged roll above said disk, a horizontally arranged roll adjacent said vertically arranged roll and 120 cooperating therewith and with said disk for retaining an angle-iron bar against said disk, and a guide for directing the insertion of such bar between said disk and rolls.

10. In a machine for forming angle-iron 125 rings, a frame, a rotatable disk mounted thereln, a roll beneath said disk for supporting the same, a vertically arranged roll above said disk, a horizontally arranged roll adjacent said vertically arranged roll 130 rings, a frame, a rotatable disk mounted therein, a roll beneath said disk for supportingthe same, a vertically arranged roll above said-disk, a horizontally arranged roll adjacent said verticallyarranged roll and cooperating therewith and with said disk for retaining an angle-iron bar against said disk, :1 guide for directing the insertion of such bar between said disk and rolls, and

means-for adjusting said guide to raise and lower said bar while being inserted.

12. Ina machine for forming angle-iron rings, a frame, a rotary disk mounted therein, a rollbeneath said disk for supporting thesame, a vertically arranged-roll above said'disk, a horizontally arranged roll adj acent said' vertically arranged roll and cooperating therewith and with said disk for retaining an 'angle iron bar against said" disk, an ad ustable guide for directing the insertion of material between said disk and rolls, and means for clamping such material about saiddisk when assuming ring formation.

13. In a machine for forming angle-iron rings, a horizontally arranged rotatable disk, a roller-head comprising vertically 'arranged rolls cooperating therewith for shaping angle-irom'a guide for directing material to said rolls, a pivotally mounted 'seg-. ment connected tosaid guide, and means for actuating said segment to adjust said guide.

14. In a machine for forming angle-iron rings, a rotatable disk, 21 roller-head comprising rollers cooperating therewith for shaping angle-iron, a guide for directing material into said rolls and disk, adjustable means for supporting said guide, and a roller associated with said guide and cooperating therewith for directing material to said rolls and disk.-

15. In a machine for forming angle-iron rings, a rotary disk, a roller-head adjacent saididisk carrying rolls for cooperating therewith to bind an angle-bar thereto, a clamp supported in said disk for binding such bar thereto, and means carried by said head for engaging said clamp to adjust the same against said bar;

16. In a machine for forming angle-iron rings, a rotary disk,a roller-head adjacent said disk carrying rolls for-cooperating therewith to bind an' angle-b'ar'thereto, a clamp supportedin said disk for binding such bar thereto, and a dog pivotally mounted in said head for engaging said clamp to adjust the same againstsaidbar.

17. In a machine for formingangle-iron rings, a rotatable disk for carrying an angle-bar, a guide for feedingsuch'bar to said disk, rolls cooperating .witlr saiddisk for binding such bar tl18I'GtO,.2LI1 arm for supporting said guide, a segmentconn'ecting with said arm, a cylinder having a plunger engaging said segment, and means connected to said cylinder for operating. said plunger to actuate said segment and raise or lower said guide.

18. In a machine for forming angle-iron rings, a frame, a driving shaft supported thereby, a rotary: disk mounted on said frame, means connectlng said shaft and disk for rotating the latter, a roller for supporting said disk, a vertically arranged-roller above 'said disk, a horizontally arranged roller adjacent said vertically" arran-ged roller, said vertical and"horizontal rolle'rs cooperating with sand vdlsk -forbending ma terial therebetween, means for feeding materialto said 'diskand rollers, adjustable means carried by said disk for clampingmaterial against-the periphery thereof, and means for adjusting said rollers in relation to said disk for accommodating angle-iron of varying thickness;-'

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN F. CRAVVFRD- 

